heidih

I turned my head the other day while picking herbs and this kumquat caught my eye.nI have absolutely no recollection of this guy but I must have helped plant it 40+ years ago. I wanted to do a one batch marmalade and cobbled together some online recipes. They have only had rain water and we've been in a drought with just a bit of rain last spring so fruit is tiny tiny. Almost no pulp/juice so I addded some from the crazy tangerine (up-topic). It came out nicely bitter which I like and not too sweet. A good day

Me too...Vegas eloper at a way too young age. Too nervous to eat much that trip. Then a father-in-law that resided there but the group was more into the all-you-can-eat breakfasts with towering carts of bacon and biscuits & gravy flying between the tables. This was way before Vegas became a food destination and before smoking was banned - so I was generally on a bike headed towards the foothills (lovely view). I do recall a nice hot chocolate up the mountain on a snowy day at a roaring fireplace/lodge type place. What a difference compared to today's vibrant food scene! Those almond pastries

Further to the KFC chicken shortage in the UK --their public apology - brilliant (spoiler - full page ad with letters scrambled to FKC) http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/23/news/kfc-apology-ad-shortage-chicken/index.html

Regarding your MISO questions: Lo-carb: That is a pretty broad term. It is a fermented grain though used in relatively small amounts. Uses: I think it is worth playing with. However it will need to be refrigerated and no way will you consume a tub this weekend, so it would need to be in ice-chest for home return trip. My favorite use and way to introduce it is in roasted pumpkin/hard squash. Cubes or slices rubbed with olive oil, miso, and Sriracha; I can eat a whole sheet pan by myself. Here is a nice little intro piece from the Serious Eats "Hey Chef" series https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/what-to-do-with-miso-paste.html

Quoting the very reliable Melissa Clark "Len Currie, the general manager of Confederacy Cove Mussel Company, explained that farmed mussels are routinely cleaned and "debyssed" before being scooped into their plastic net bags. But doesn't that compromise their shelf life?" His response was "It does but only by a few hours or maybe a day. You can get a shelf life of ten days or more if you handle them carefully"..Quoting from the very excellent In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite

We have a pretty deep mussel aquaculture history here. Plump, grit/beard free and reasonably priced. An under-appreciated shellfish https://www.independent.com/news/2015/apr/02/flexing-muscles-over-mussels/ Not sure if the oil rig thing is still viable but it sure was/is interesting http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/05/us/offshore-oil-rigs-prove-fertile-farm-for-mussels-on-the-coast.html

Do you have miso? Sure it would be fine without but the "funk" if you will of fermented bean paste is a pretty big deal

Chef José Andrés has been named the James Beard Humanitarian of the year. Incredible work. https://dc.eater.com/2018/2/21/17036162/jose-andres-james-beard-foundation-humanitarian-of-the-year

Well citrus are winter producers so maybe you are experiencing a global warming quirk. The ripe fruit should be now and flowering/fruit setting much later. Oh my....

I think she just means a short dip in the pond whenever- I lean to the end

Ha - even I who have never seen a choc fount guessed it Looking forward to it. Do please "cross-promote" the whole index- it is a veritable "fount" of information!

The almost complete lack of rainfall does not bode well for local foraging. However I managed to find a small patch of mallow on the property. I used it as one of the greens in a modified Persian ash reshteh.

I spent a lot of time in Ensenada, Mexico in the 80's so when you mentioned squat bottle that is what immediately popped to mind. The fish market, fresh tortillas and cold beer - heaven! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensenada,_Baja_California

Modelo perhaps? https://www.google.com/search?q=modelo+beer&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS755US755&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfzOOrv7XZAhXBv1QKHT3ZCBgQ_AUICigB&biw=1163&bih=561

I wasn't delighted with these whole grain seeded crisps from Trader Joes which I'd purchased after tasting and thinking it would help with my attempt to incorporate more whole grains. However, today I treated them more like a cracker. Breaking them up and generously dipping into guacamole was SO good. Better than tortilla chips which can overshadow the delicate sweetness of avocado. These guys are complimentary. Guac was simple: perfectly ripe avocado, garlic powder, salt & pepper, and Jalapeno Tabasco. I know - garlic powder! - but my first grade "Harriet the Spy tomato sandwich" was avocado and garlic powder so it is a positive taste memory.

Its an "outie" navel! Gorgeous images. Those citrus are such workk horses.

Yes so sad on his passing but the fact that he was keeping this up in today's world and the following he had moved me. We have tamale vendors with carts near here that call out so it struck a cord.

edible: A Celebration of Local Foods by Tracey Ryder and CaroleTopalian is a 2010 release. It comes from Edible Communities Publications which celebrates and promotes local farmers. I was thumbing through my copy and stumbled upon an essay on page 125 titled "A Portrait of the Farmer as a Young Man". The piece richly describes that special world of getting produce to market/restaurant in the wee hours. I had a flashback eGullet moment and sure enough his wife did a great blog here in 2005 The book takes you across the country looking at some of the different tacks farmers and food producers are taking to survive and sometimes even thrive.

I've still never made it to one of those Friday during Lent fish dinners. If any of you go to oone I'd love to hear what they serve and pics if possible. Here is the existing topic

For a chicken stock/broth your total time seems awfully long; a possible factor in "muddy" taste

Red Boat is a brand of fish sauce which many prefer http://redboatfishsauce.com/

Eater New Orleans did a short piece on the passing of this beloved New Orleans produce vendor https://nola.eater.com/2018/2/16/17019724/arthur-robinson-mr-okra-singing-produce-vendor-death And here is a short video about him

This avocado cornbread caught my eye as a way to combine your future cornbread experiments with your avocado bounty https://food52.com/recipes/17979-avocado-cornbread

Use those alll the time to clean up cacti and weed in tight containers. Its a thing. - seriously

OK sorry. Do report back if you try it. It just shouldn't be that "hard" - this is rustic cooking. As to the above suggestions about the wonton broth including pork/shrimp- I absolutly agree. Again it is a coming together of flavors. Also the filling in the wonton enhances the taste of the broth in the spoon; kids actully playing well together. As the wonton or dumpling sits in the broth while you are eating the flavors marry. In my experience that is why the middle of the bowl , in time, is perhps the most satisfying and balanced.